Book: The Rickshaw Reveries-Dark Dazzling Delhi Stories
Author:
Ipshita Nath
Publisher:
Simon & Schuster India
Silently plying on the road, inconspicuous by
nature, have you ever thought a humble cycle rickshaw can have a story behind
it, the rickshawwallah whom we tend to forget have an interesting anecdote?
The Rickshaw Reveries- Dark Dazzling Delhi
Stories by
Ipshita Nath is a collection of 12 short stories, across the length and breadth
of the city called as Delhi, or more popularly, Dilli. With stories that
are both terrifying and enticing, the book takes us into the underbelly of the
shiny city into the world of the people that move it, exploring Delhi’s many subterranean
truths. From drug peddlers to Khan Market diplomats, some very unique elements
form a part of these stories of madness, delinquency and delirium.
The Rickshaw Reveries- Dark Dazzling Delhi
Stories by
Ipshita Nath has a very rustic touch to it, a primal language that oozes the
charm of Delhi. With very local language used in it, the book manages to transport
the reader into the part of the city where it is taking place. Be it the
bylanes of Chandni Chowk or Mayur Vihar Extension Metro Station, or the
upmarket areas of Khan Market, if you have been in Delhi, you’ll visualize the
stories. The storytelling is engrossing and each of the 12 tales has a twist in
the end that you’ll never see coming, even in the 12th story by when
a reader would have gotten used to the style of stories. Personally, I loved
the story “A Metamorphosis on the Northern Ridge” where Ipshita has
given a background to an urban myth. “Kabootarbaazi” is another favorite
of mine from the collection because it had a very emotional touch to it. The way
the story of Bhishan Singh and Nawab unfolds is a sight to behold. The story “Dream
Girl” deserves a special mention because it was very contemporary with the
way it was set and the entire concept of the story gave me the chills,
specially the climax because it was relatable to a certain extent. With a mix
of folklore, a touch of magic, family traditions and some good old crime
stories, Ipshita has managed to bottle the essence of the city of Dilli
just like The Attarwala of Gulabi Gali.
With 12 short stories, talking about
characters is a dead giveaway, but I would like to mention the central
character that features in all 12 stories-the humble cycle rickshaw. It was a
stroke of genius to include it in all the stories as a common thread, almost
like the one that holds a necklace together. It might seem like an
insignificant factor, but for the book, it is the protagonist. It is where the
stories originate, it is where the stories end. Maybe this book might just
change the way we look at our three-wheeled rides.
Overall, my mind was blown, 12 times over, and
the book cycles away with 4.75/5 from me.
Get a copy of the book here.
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